Education: children from homeless households are more likely to suffer from bullying, unhappiness and stigmatisation

Emotional well-being: about half of the families taking part in one study conducted by Shelter said their children were frightened, insecure, or worried about the future as a result of their homelessness [6]

Life chances: The health and educational impact of poor housing may affect children’s future job prospects and financial well-being.

Housing issues affecting young people

As young people make the transition to adulthood it can be a difficult time, both financially and emotionally. A number of additional factors make this transition more difficult for young people in vulnerable housing situations, such as lower rates of the minimum wage and benefits, increased likelihood of unemployment and exclusion from housing registers.

Many of the causes of homelessness, such as unemployment, shortage of housing, and family problems, affect young people across the spectrum. However, there are some young people who are more at risk of becoming homeless:

care leavers

runaways

young offenders

black and minority ethnic (BME) groups

asylum seekers

refugees

young people from rural areas.

Shelter’s view

Shelter welcomes the commitment successive Governments have made to end child poverty by 2020. However, we are concerned that policies enacted by the government will undermine this goal. University of Cambridge research commissioned by Shelter found that cuts to housing benefit risked pushing more children into poverty.

Shelter strongly believes that access to decent affordable housing must be at the heart of any strategy for improving the life chances of children and young people and reducing child poverty. This means addressing issues such as:

the acute shortage of social rented housing

overcrowding

housing affordability

funding for tenancy sustainment and housing advice services

benefit cuts that threaten housing affordability.

[1] Rice, B. Against the Odds, Shelter, 2006.[2] English Housing Survey Headline Report, 2010-11.[3] Figures supplied by DCLG from Survey of English Housing.[4]DCLG Live Table 775[5] Households Below Average Income - An analysis of the income distribution 1994/95-2010/11, DWP, 2012.[6] Rice B, Against the Odds, Shelter, 2006